1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in combined cutters and sealers of the type particularly adapted for cutting and simultaneously sealing the cut edge of rope material wholly or partly formed from fusible fibers such as nylon.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The sale and distribution of ropes or other elongated materials is normally carried on by wrapping a predetermined very long length of rope or material on a spool with the purpose being that at the final sale, the section of rope or material being purchased will be cut from the initial length. When various sections are cut from the material, it is necessary to bind or seal the cut free edge in order to prevent the edge from unravelling when used. The ends of ropes produced from nylon or other fusible materials can be bonded together by heating the individual ends of the rope until the rope fibers melt and fuse together.
Various machines have been suggested for cutting and or fusing the ends of materials such as rope, sheet material, webs or the like. However, none of the existing devices is adequate for producing a smooth, consistent, automatic cutting and fusing operation wherein the ends of the material are adequately fused to insure a long, usable life. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,811, issued May 8, 1951 to Mueller shows a cutting and sealing apparatus for operating on fusible fiber material. The Mueller device includes an anvil over which the material to be cut is passed. The anvil is heated to fuse the fabric and acts as one of the cutting elements of the device. A reciprocating rotary knife is moved automatically across the anvil to sever the fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,584, issued May 30, 1967 to Welin-Berger, shows a method of bonding a plurality of layers of fabric in which a plurality of fabric sheets are laid upon each other. A hot gas is passed over the layered sheets with the heat of the gas passing through each sheet and bonding them together. U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,881, issued Jan. 31, 1956 to Anderle, shows a cord cutter which includes a generally straight resistance wire disposed between a pair of spaced parallel guide members. The cord to be cut is moved between the guide members and brought into contact with the wire. The heat from the wire both cuts the cord and melts the ends thereof.